Megha Ganne is ready to transition to the professional golf circuit at the 2026 U.S. Women's Open. The Stanford star is looking to make a lasting impression at The Riviera Country Club this week.

Ahead of her highly anticipated professional debut, she has been leaning heavily on former World No. 1 Lydia Ko for guidance. Ganne named the veteran star as her primary guide during this crucial career transition.

"Lydia is actually someone I've been leaning on more recently. She's been practicing out of Stanford, so she's been the coolest resource to have around and just a good friend to everyone on the team," Ganne stated.

The significant revelation was made during her pre-championship press conference in Pacific Palisades. Ganne expressed immense gratitude for having the opportunity to have the multi-major winner practice alongside her college team.

According to the young golfer, Ko's key pieces of advice include paying attention to subtle nuances and gaining much-needed experience and maturity.

"Being a professional is about the little stuff and the stuff you can't really see, like invisible little details, and that stuff comes with experience, time, maturity, and having a good team around you," she said.

Juggling Finals and a Major Debut

The 72-hole major competition at Riviera comes at a critical juncture for the 22-year-old, who is balancing her professional transition with her educational responsibilities at Stanford University.

Ganne is expected to handle a tight schedule of practice rounds and final college assessments.

"I have pretty much not that many classes left, so I am still in school but not that crazy," she explained.

The academic milestone will culminate immediately following the conclusion of the major. The prospective graduate is officially scheduled to walk the stage at her commencement ceremony next week, capping an iconic amateur career.

It all follows a very successful collegiate season in which she contributed greatly to Stanford's victory in the 2026 NCAA team title contest.

The 2025 U.S. Women's Amateur champion also finished first in the grueling LCAP standings, securing her immediate competitive future on the professional circuit and marking another important milestone in her golf career.

This first-place finish means that the golfer has received a direct exemption to play on the upcoming Epson Tour.

"That idea of going into something novel is not particularly new," she noted regarding the step.

At the same time, as she adjusts to the new professional challenges, her top priority is maintaining composure at the highest level.

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Anushree Menon

Written by

Abhishek Sharma

Edited by

Pulkit Prabhav